Effectiveness of Ultrasound Therapy in Post-dry Needling Soreness of Myofascial Pain Syndrome in Upper Trapezius Muscle
Keywords:
dry needling, myofascial pain syndrome, post-dry needling soreness, therapeutic ultrasound therapyAbstract
This randomized, double-blind, controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of low-intensity, pulsed-mode ultrasound therapy in alleviating post-dry needling soreness (PNS) among patients with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) of the upper trapezius muscle. Twenty-four participants diagnosed with upper trapezius MPS were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 12) or a control group (n = 12). All participants received dry needling treatment. Post-treatment, the intervention group received ultrasound therapy (low intensity, pulsed mode at 1 Hz, 20% duty cycle) for 10 minutes, while the control group received sham ultrasound for 10 minutes as well. Both groups were instructed to perform identical exercises and apply cold compression. Pain and functional outcomes were assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), pressure pain threshold and the Thai version of the Neck Disability Index (Thai-NDI) at 10 minutes, 24 hours, and 1-week post-treatment.
The results showed that baseline characteristics were similar between groups. At 10 minutes and 24 hours post-treatment, the intervention group demonstrated significantly greater reductions in VAS scores for PNS (mean reduction: 3.75 ± 1.22 and 6.75 ± 1.60, respectively) compared to the control group (0.33 ± 1.30 and 3.67 ± 3.50, respectively). The average recovery time from soreness was significantly shorter in the intervention group (9.33 hours) than in the control group (28.50 hours). While both groups showed significant within-group improvements in neck pain intensity, pressure tolerance, and Thai-NDI scores (p < 0.05), no significant between-group differences were observed for these measures.
Low-intensity, pulsed-mode ultrasound therapy administered after dry needling significantly reduced post-treatment soreness and accelerated recovery time in patients with upper trapezius MPS.
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